Upcoming Meeting Notice:

2011 EUROPEAN FALL CONFERENCE
October 26 - 28, 2011
Hamburg, Germany

2012 ASIA CONFERENCE
February 1 - 3, 2012
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2012 USA CONFERENCE
March 7 - 9, 2012
Clearwater Beach, Florida   USA

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Aastra
BICSI
Cisco
Deals
People
Phones
Solutions
Tribute
Video

Aastra

Salt River Fields capitalizes on value of hosted VoIP
Saddleback Communications and Aastra announced that Salt River Fields, the new Spring Training home of the Arizona Diamond­backs and Colorado Rockies baseball fran­chises, has implemented BusinessFlex Hosted iPBX with Aastra SIP phones to provide voice and data communications at the new facility. In choosing a telecommunications solu­tion for the facility, Salt River Fields knew they needed a system that was highly flexible and scalable. Business­Flex iPBX is a hosted, fully managed voice and data solution which integrates local telephone service, IP business phones and high speed Internet, available on a per seat subscription. Also included with the solution is the Metaswitch CommPortal, an easy-to-use web-based configuration tool, as well as a variety of Aastra SIP phones. Currently Salt River Fields has approximately 220 phones, ranging from the Aastra 6731i for general business use to full-featured Aastra 6757i models, and color touch-screen Aastra 6739i executive phones.
Visit www.aastra.com.^Back To Top

BISCI

BICSI helps spearhead green rating system for technology products
BICSI is pleased to announce its new affiliation as a founding member of The Sustainable Technology Environments Program (STEP) Foundation, a coalition of technology associations seeking to define sustainability for the broadband and electronics industry. “Going green” has been a topic of growing importance in recent years. Certification systems have been created for those who follow the green methodology. For example, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) focuses on the shell and core of a building, encouraging “green building” from the start of a project through to and beyond completion. The STEP Foundation is working to complement LEED by adding a rating system for the technology systems that work within the physical building. Founded by InfoComm International and CompTIA, STEP has been created by manufacturers, designers, integrators, programmers and the users of technology to guide project and building owners to implement practices that will produce economic benefits to their organization while preserving the planet. It fills the void not addressed by other “green building” rating systems and establishes a position alongside rating systems such as LEED and Energy Star. All associations participating in STEP will be able to promote sustainable practices to their members and their customers.
Visit www.bicsi.org.
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Cisco

Cisco on UC for SMBs
By Jeff Owen
Excerpt:
Cisco is well known for its networking prowess and commitment to Unified Communications (UC) for the enterprise.  What may be less known is its equally deep commitment to UC for SMBs.  I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mark Monday, Vice President and General Manager, Cisco’s Small Business Technology Group, to learn more about Cisco’s view of UC and the SMB market.

Owen: SMBs are often without technical specialists, so can you give us a plain English overview of UC?
Monday:  Cisco has a small business technology group, and an effort around small business, because we understand that they typically don’t have an IT professional on staff.  …  The question about UC for SMBs is really a combination of IP telephony and the ability to take that traffic, that IP phone call, and do something different with it than you might be able to do with a normal phone system.  …  So, UC really brings together IP, telephony, and some of the applications used within the framework of the SMB all together into a solution.

Owen: Where does Cisco fit in to this picture?
Monday:  Cisco’s Small Business Technology Group primarily works with our channel partners who serve the customer. …

Owen: UC is rapidly replacing POTS/PBXs at the enterprise level and you’ve stated that SMBs are moving to UC, but from my experience many seem reluctant.  What do you most often hear as their reasons for not implementing UC?
Monday: I haven’t really found a customer who doesn’t want to implement UC.  Then it’s a question of balancing the intensity of the requirement against the costs of acquisition, implementation and ongoing support. In these uncertain economic times, the value proposition has to be compelling.  I tend to see that everybody wants UC; the question is, when they move to it.
Visit www.cisco.com.
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Deals

snom technology extends market reach following distribution agreement with BT Business Direct
snom technology AG has announced a distribution deal with BT’s IT hardware, software and services business, BT Business Direct. The agreement will allow BT’s business customers to purchase snom’s extensive range of products, including IP phones and IP-PBX solutions, directly through the BT Business Direct online store. Customers will also be able to take advantage of an exclusive product bundle, which includes the snom ONE plus IP-PBX, an unlimited number of user licenses, and seven IP desktop phones. snom Certified Engineer courses will be made available for resellers under the BT SCE program once a month, providing those on the course with a chance to gain experience and snom Certified Engineer status. Full support and dedicated provisioning is also available for all snom products purchased through BT Business Direct.
Visit www.snom.com and www.businessdirect.bt.com.
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People

• Featurecom, one of North America’s leading brokers & distributors of Telecommunications equipment, is proud to announce the addition of Paulo Simonetti to its team of telecommunications professionals. 
  Visit www.featurecom.ca.  

• IntelliChief LLC, the leading provider of document management and document imaging solutions for the IBM I (System i, iSeries, AS/400) Enterprise, announces the appointment of Phillip Patterson to Chief Financial Officer.  
  Visit www.intellichief.com.
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Phones

Polycom offers new high-quality business phone
Polycom, Inc. unveiled a new high-quality multimedia phone that dramatically improves productivity for multi-tasking knowledge workers, giving them something they can always use: more time. The Polycom VVX 500 multimedia phone is an all-in-one desktop productivity tool that combines a VoIP telephone with streaming video and instant access to applications and web content. An optional USB video camera, with planned availability in 2012, will transform the new phone into a fully functioning HD video conferencing system. The VVX 500 introduces the lowest price point yet to the industry’s first business media phone product line, which Polycom debuted in 2009. Like all Polycom RealPresence desktop solutions, the Polycom VVX 500 is based on open standards and is interoperable with millions of other IP private branch exchange business telephone systems already deployed. The open architecture allows developers to introduce applications that take full advantage of the telephony capabilities and functions in the phone to create full-featured, context-aware applications for performance business media phones.
Visit www.polycom.com.
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Solutions

VMP ER-S1U4P rack shelf now shipping
Video Mount is proud to announce that its ER-S1U4P Vented One Space Four Post Rack Shelf is now shipping. The ER-S1U4P has an MSRP of $129.95. “We designed the new ER-S1U4P for both form and functionality, especially for the installer who also seeks a rugged rack shelf solution,” explained Keith Fulmer, president of VMP. “The unique four post design and 200 lb. load capacity make it the ideal choice for installing today’s larger and heavier racked-mounted equipment.” Additional features of the ER-S1U4P include: fits components up to 16.85in wide; one space rack height (1.75in); adjustable tray depth – 14.75in to 25in; includes 10-32 and 12-24 rack screws; and black static resistant powder coat finish.
Visit www.videomount.com.
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Tribute

TIA president speaks of former Motorola CEO Bob Galvin
Upon learning of the news of the death of former Motorola CEO and Chairman Robert ("Bob") William Galvin, Telecommunications Industry Association President Grant Seiffert released the following statement on behalf of the association:  "We are saddened to learn that industry pioneer Robert Galvin has died. Before terms such as innovator and visionary became popular, Bob innovated and had a pioneering vision that helped shape and define the mobile telecommunications technology that we all take for granted today. We are all fortunate that his contributions and devotion to the information and communications technology industry leave a lasting legacy and a foundation upon which we can continue to build. The Telecommunications Industry Association honors his memory and pays tribute to his life's work. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."
Visit www.tiaonline.org.
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Video

Grandstream introduces IP Video Encoder+Decoder+PAS 3-in-1 combo device
Grandstream Networks announced the release of the new GXV3500 IP Video Encoder±Decoder+PAS 3-in-1 combo device that combines H264 video compression for analog video cameras, video decoding for displaying on TV, and voice/video public announcement system (PAS). The GXV3500 video encoder+decoder+PAS 3-in-1 device combines advanced single channel H.264 real time video compression or decompression functions at up to D1 resolution and up to 30fps in a single box. In addition, it features two-way audio paging and video streaming using SIP/VoIP, integrated PoE (Power over Ethernet), serial port for PTZ camera control, microphone input, audio/video output, alarm inputs & outputs, pre- and post-event recording buffer, as well as advanced encryption for security protection. Compactly designed, the GXV3500 fully conforms to ONVIF industry standard for broad interoperability with a large number of ONVIF compliant Video Management Systems (VMS) in the market. The GXV3500 can also be managed with GSurf, Grandstream’s FREE video management software that controls up to 36 cameras simultaneously.
Visit www.grandstream.com.
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